Apparatus and method for controlling fuel system of vehicle

Abstract

In an apparatus and method for controlling a fuel system of a vehicle, the apparatus includes driving information detectors provided to detect vehicle driving information required to determine whether the vehicle is driving while fording water, a controller operably connected to the driving information detectors and provided to determine whether a current driving state of the vehicle satisfies predetermined water-fording driving conditions based on the vehicle driving information, a canister close valve provided on an atmospheric line, and a purge control solenoid valve provided on a purge line, the controller is configured to determine that the vehicle is in a water-fording driving state and outputs a control signal to seal the fuel system, upon determining that the current driving state satisfies the predetermined water-fording driving conditions, and the canister close valve and the purge control solenoid valve are controlled to be in a closed state depending on the control signal to seal the fuel system.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An apparatus for controlling a fuel system of a vehicle, the apparatus comprising:
 driving information detectors provided to detect vehicle driving information required to determine whether the vehicle is driving while fording water;   a controller operably connected to the driving information detectors and provided to determine whether a current driving state of the vehicle satisfies predetermined water-fording driving conditions based on the vehicle driving information detected by the driving information detectors;   a canister close valve provided on an atmospheric line between a canister and an atmospheric side; and   a purge control solenoid valve provided on a purge line connecting the canister and an engine intake system,   wherein, upon concluding that the current driving state of the vehicle satisfies the predetermined water-fording driving conditions, the controller is configured to conclude that the vehicle is in a water-fording driving state and output a control signal to seal the fuel system, and the canister close valve and the purge control solenoid valve are controlled to be in a closed state depending on the control signal to seal the fuel system, output by the controller.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the vehicle driving information detected by the driving information detectors includes a vehicle speed, a gradient of a place where the vehicle is driving, and a driver's accelerator pedal input value,   wherein the driving information detectors include:
 a vehicle speed sensor configured to detect the vehicle speed; 
 a gradient sensor configured to detect the gradient of the place where the vehicle is driving; and 
 an accelerator position sensor configured to detect the driver's accelerator pedal input value. 
   
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the predetermined water-fording driving conditions set in the controller include:
 an engine torque condition in which an engine torque configured to satisfy a driver's requested torque exceeds a predetermined torque;   a vehicle speed condition in which the detected vehicle speed is less than a predetermined vehicle speed;   a gradient condition in which the detected gradient is less than a predetermined gradient; and   an accelerator pedal input value condition in which the detected driver's accelerator pedal input value exceeds a predetermined acceleration value.   
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein, in response that all of the engine torque condition, the vehicle speed condition, the gradient condition, and the accelerator pedal input value condition are satisfied, the controller is configured to conclude that the current driving state of the vehicle satisfies the predetermined water-fording driving conditions. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the vehicle driving information detected by the driving information detectors includes a vehicle speed, a gradient of a place where the vehicle is driving, a driver's accelerator pedal input value, and a water level of the place where the vehicle is driving, and   wherein the driving information detectors include:
 a vehicle speed sensor configured to detect the vehicle speed; 
 a gradient sensor configured to detect the gradient of the place where the vehicle is driving; 
 an accelerator position sensor configured to detect the driver's accelerator pedal input value; and 
 a water level sensor configured to detect the water level of the place where the vehicle is driving. 
   
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the predetermined water-fording driving conditions set in the controller include:
 an engine torque condition in which an engine torque configured to satisfy a driver's requested torque exceeds a predetermined torque;   a vehicle speed condition in which the detected vehicle speed is less than a predetermined vehicle speed;   a gradient condition in which the detected gradient is less than a predetermined gradient;   an accelerator pedal input value condition in which the detected driver's accelerator pedal input value exceeds a predetermined acceleration value; and   a water level condition in which the detected water level is equal to or greater than a set water level.   
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein, in response that all of the engine torque condition, the vehicle speed condition, the gradient condition, and the accelerator pedal input value condition are satisfied, or in response that the water level condition is satisfied, the controller is configured to conclude that the current driving state of the vehicle satisfies the predetermined water-fording driving conditions. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein, in response that a state in which the current driving state of the vehicle satisfies the predetermined water-fording driving conditions is maintained for a first set time, the controller is configured to conclude that the vehicle is in the water-fording driving state. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein, in response that the controller is configured to conclude that the vehicle is in the water-fording driving state, the controller:
 first controls the purge control solenoid valve to be in the closed state; and   then controls the canister close valve to be in the closed state, after a second set time has elapsed.   
     
     
         10 . A method of controlling a fuel system of a vehicle, the method comprising:
 obtaining, by a controller, vehicle driving information required to determine whether the vehicle is driving while fording water through driving information detectors operably connected to the controller;   determining, by the controller, whether a current driving state of the vehicle satisfies predetermined water-fording driving conditions based on the obtained vehicle driving information;   concluding, by the controller, that the vehicle is in a water-fording driving state and outputting a control signal to seal the fuel system, upon concluding that the current driving state of the vehicle satisfies the predetermined water-fording driving conditions; and   controlling a canister close valve provided on an atmospheric line between a canister and an atmospheric side and a purge control solenoid valve provided on a purge line connecting the canister and an engine intake system to be in a closed state depending on the control signal output by the controller.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the vehicle driving information detected by the driving information detectors includes a vehicle speed, a gradient of a place where the vehicle is driving, and a driver's accelerator pedal input value. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the predetermined water-fording driving conditions set in the controller include:
 an engine torque condition in which an engine torque configured to satisfy a driver's requested torque exceeds a predetermined torque;   a vehicle speed condition in which the detected vehicle speed is less than a predetermined vehicle speed;   a gradient condition in which the detected gradient is less than a predetermined gradient; and   an accelerator pedal input value condition in which the detected driver's accelerator pedal input value exceeds a predetermined acceleration value.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein, in response that all of the engine torque condition, the vehicle speed condition, the gradient condition, and the accelerator pedal input value condition are satisfied, the controller is configured to conclude that the current driving state of the vehicle satisfies the predetermined water-fording driving conditions. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the vehicle driving information detected by the driving information detectors includes a vehicle speed, a gradient of a place where the vehicle is driving, a driver's accelerator pedal input value, and a water level of the place where the vehicle is driving. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the predetermined water-fording driving conditions set in the controller include:
 an engine torque condition in which an engine torque configured to satisfy a driver's requested torque exceeds a predetermined torque;   a vehicle speed condition in which the detected vehicle speed is less than a predetermined vehicle speed;   a gradient condition in which the detected gradient is less than a predetermined gradient;   an accelerator pedal input value condition in which the detected driver's accelerator pedal input value exceeds a predetermined acceleration value; and   a water level condition in which the detected water level is equal to or greater than a set water level.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein, in response that all of the engine torque condition, the vehicle speed condition, the gradient condition, and the accelerator pedal input value condition are satisfied, or in response that the water level condition is satisfied, the controller is configured to conclude that the current driving state of the vehicle satisfies the predetermined water-fording driving conditions. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein, in response that a state in which the current driving state of the vehicle satisfies the predetermined water-fording driving conditions is maintained for a first set time, the controller is configured to conclude that the vehicle is in the water-fording driving state. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein, in response that the controller is configured to conclude that the vehicle is in the water-fording driving state, the controller:
 first controls the purge control solenoid valve to be in the closed state; and   then controls the canister close valve to be in the closed state, after a second set time has elapsed.   
     
     
         19 . A non-transitory computer readable storage medium on which a program for performing the method of  claim 10  is recorded.